Save The Girl
by VanessaBabyS
Summary: She wanted to save everyone. Every person. Every man, woman and child that ever needed her. But when it was time for her to retire, she was pulled back in. She had one last job. Her mission: to save the girl. ( Demena, Demi, Selena, Lovez, Semi, Delena)
1. Getting Out

**I haven't posted anything on this site in forever and for that I'm sorry. Years have been ticking by and I fell in love with writing stories on youtube and then creating them on WattPad, and this is where it all started. I was 17 when I joined and this is ten years later. I wanted to be done with fanficition in order to dedicate time to my own stories. I'm a procrastinator what can I say. I love the feedback that you guys have always given me, and I thank each and every one of you for helping me to develop my writing. I'm transferring this story over from my WattPad.**

 **So for my first disclaimer ever: Any and all likeness of characters, names and locations are strictly coincidental. Enjoy.**

I awoke in a room of darkness. I wasn't asleep, I was awake, at least that much I was sure of. I shook from the small gust of wind creeping into the room. Wherever I was, I wasn't safe. My heart drummed so loudly that my ears began to scream. The panic rose in me as every second past.

"She's awake!" A voice shakes the room as I try to adjust to the darkness. My head begins to pound as I lower myself to the ground, my fingers trailing the floor. I have to find a wall, or at least the source of that air.

"Who are you and what do you want?" My voice shakes. It was rare that it ever did that.

"We just need a little information about your origination. You give us what we want, we give you your freedom." A short laugh escapes whoever just spoke before he speaks up once more. "We know that you don't work alone. What's your mission?"

"What mission?" I ask, my fingers finally connecting with a cold wall. It felt as if it was made of brick, the air streaming from somewhere on my right.

"Your mission, what is it?"

"I don't know. I can't remember anything right now." I lied. My mission was to take down the Onyx cooperation. The group attacked dozens in New York and kidnapped children, holding them for ransom until our government paid them some ridiculous amount of money. I set a bug within their main computer frame, possibly hours ago and somehow ended up here.

"Miss Lovato, tonight will not end up well for you if you lie." A bright light flashed behind me causing me to jump. My eyes adjusted just for a second before I was tossed back into pitch black. "Your origination wanted you to plant a bug into our system. You've achieved, I'll give you that much. But what did they expect to get from such an act?"

"I…," I rubbed my head as if to display my confusion just before my hand covered a cold area on the wall. I chipped at the space just as my fingers slid within whatever the substance was.

"Miss Lovato!" The voice shook as my arm now slid through the substance. I shoved my way through as my name silenced behind me. I could hear pounding and footsteps near wherever I was. Just as I pushed a bit more, my face slid into the substance as I shoved myself out on the other side. The bright light blinded me as I quickly brushed myself off, finding a space to duck behind. The substance was wet cement, still slightly wet and not done drying. These fucking idiots were going to seal me in a block of cement. I studied the empty warehouse, although it held wooden crates there wasn't much else.

"Shoot to kill!" A voice echoed as the footsteps stopped. I pressed my back against one of the crates before taking a deep breath. I was getting out of here. I had to. I crawled over to another area before peering through the slits. Whoever these people were, they were toting guns, and loads of them. "You have no where to hide!" The same man from earlier cackled as I clawed at the wooden crate. My fingers began to bleed as the splinters pressed into my skin and the wood rubbed away at my flesh. But just before I gave up, a nail popped out of one end. I quickly shoved my hand into the crate, slowly plucking a gun out as best as I could. My arm and hands were now throbbing as I checked for ammo. It was empty, but it had to do.

"If you kill me," I began, "you'll never get any information." I was playing from a bad angle, but I had to find a way out. Just as the footsteps began to circle me, I stood, holding the small pistol between my fingers.

"Demi," the man in the distance slowly pushed past the other guys standing before me. "Look at yourself. You're covered in cement, your hands are bleeding. You have no where else to go."

"You're wrong," I shook as I held the small empty pistol against my skill. "I could always put myself out of my own misery," I scoffed as the man smiled.

"You could."

"Or," I shrugged, "I could always tell you that those two guys are from my cooperation. Its three against seven, but hey," I shrugged, "what have we got to loose.

"This," the big man aimed his gun at the men before him, and just as the others watched him, I bolted. It wasn't smart to run straight for the first few steps but once I was behind a few stacked towers, I felt safer. The men began shooting, possibly killing those who I already signaled out before they came after me. It was as if I was in a dream because I ran and ran and ran but the crates wouldn't end. The building went on and on and I was losing hope on ever finding a way out.

"There she is!" One woman called out. I had never known this origination to ever hire anyone who wasn't big and full of muscles. The woman rose her gun right at my head from just a few feet away. I slowly rose my hands just before a popping sound echoed. I thought I was shot. I thought I was gone and that was it. Everything went black for a moment or two, but once I reopened my eyes, dark smoke filled the place. I could hear more and more people run into the building. My lungs filled with dust as I coughed, trying to find my way through the smoke just before I felt a hand land against my shoulder.

I swung my balled up fist as hard and as fast as I could before I hit something hard. My hand landed against someone's abdomen.

"Damn it Lovato," that voice, "you always gave killer punches." The man coughed out as I clutched to him. It was Joe, an old friend who I was too excited to see. "Lets get out of here before you die of smoke inhalation."

That was two weeks ago. Two weeks ago when I was taken, shot at and basically on the verge of dying. My shoulder still felt like hell but I was alive. Thankfully. But that's when I quit. Not because I was shot. Not because I was gasping for air in some small cement block. I quit because I no longer wanted to put myself in danger. I didn't know how I was captured and I didn't want it to happen again.

"Hey there you," my best friend slinked into my bedroom as I faced her. "You look like death," she bounced onto my bed, crouching before me as I rolled my eyes.

"That's because I almost died."

"But I'm glad you didn't."

"Yeah, me too." I ran my fingers against my shoulder just as she slid in front of me. Her fingers falling over mine.

"Does it still hurt?"

"I guess not." I shrugged as she slowly plucked my fingers away. There was always something behind me loving her. She was kind, gentle and everything I've ever wanted. But my life was always too dangerous for her. Unpredictable. She faced me, her fingers still against my bandaged shoulder.

"I'll treat you to dinner tonight. We both need to get out of the house, you more so then me."

"No one asked you to lock yourself up with me." I complained just as she shifted, her head falling into my lap as she stretched out across the bed.

"Yeah, I know. But what kind of friend would I be if I left you here to suffer alone?"

"This is why I love you," I sigh, using my good hand to slither my fingers into the brunette's hair. She closed her eyes, a smile playing across her face.

"So, tonight at six, be ready." She whispered as I gave a nod I was sure she couldn't see. She seemed so peaceful and relaxed. Happy even. It was rare to see such a thing from her after her break up with that douche Justin, but I could always make her smile.

"What should I wear?"

"Clothes I hope." Selena shifted, sitting up right as my hand fell back into the bed sheets.

"I know clothes you idiot. What type? Casual, dressy?"

"Dress up."

"Like a sexy kind of dressing up or…?"

"Whatever that means to you." She winked, sliding from the bed and back onto the floor. There was nothing like our friendship. We understood one another. I watched as she made her way to the door. "Six o'clock," she reminded me.

"Six o'clock." I nodded in return. As she slid her way back into the hall I took a deep refreshing breath. My stitches would be coming out in a few days and I had already received the go ahead to resume normal activities. My body was prepared to take on the world, me, not so much. My phone began to vibrate at my bedside before I gripped it, lifting it up to my ear.

"Speak to me," I groggily answered.

"Agent 727, we need you." I held the phone up to my ear for a few seconds.

"Joshua, I told you I was out."

"But your last case was never closed. We never stopped Onyx."

"And I should care why? I quit. I'm out."

"You must care about your fellow man. We have to end their operation. Your doctor gave you a clean bill of health, correct?"

"Nope," I lied. "I'm still laying in my bed at the moment. Enjoying my freedom."

"You can only leave a mission in one of two ways."

"Yeah, in a body bag or when it's completed." I stated the facts before the man on the other end agreed.

"So you understand your situation."

"I'm not in any shape to take on anyone, let alone make my own dinner. Look Joshua, we've known each other for years, can't I get a break. Don't you guys have other agents to send on this type of mission?"

"To tell you the truth, you're one of the only good ones left."

"Correction, I was."

"Joe needs a partner."

"Joe has a partner," I mindlessly answered just as Selena made her way back into my bedroom. Her face had worry written over it. I pushed myself up into a complete sitting position, ignoring the man on the phone. "What's wrong?"

"I think you have company." Her stance was that of a deer caught in some headlights.

"Joshua," I spoke clearly into the receiver. "Tell me that you don't have agents outside of my house."

"Like I said. We need you."

"And what happens if I refuse?" I ask, my voice growing silent as I listened for any signs of entry downstairs. Selena peered back into the hall, watching the front door as I pry myself from my warm bed. My shoulder stings a bit before I suck down a painful gulp. Fucking shoulder.

"If you refuse, which I hope you do not. We can make so many things in your life disappear. We got you to where you are. One last mission, that's all we ask." Joshua awaited my answer.

"What's going on?" Selena gripped the door's frame before I made my way into the hall. I could walk perfectly fine, and although the pinching in my shoulder ceased, I knew I'd feel it later. I opened the front door, with the phone in one hand as I gripped the knob with the other. Four black trucks sat lined up in a row as people sat in the drivers seats watching the house. Their eyes found mine as I glared at each of them one by one.

"I set the virus in the Onyx computer system, what more could you possibly want me to do?" I breathed into the receiver as Joshua blew into the piece on his end.

"The virus was planted, but you never powered up the hack. Do that for us and we'll let you be. In and out, its as simple as that."

"Yeah right. Nothing is as simple as that with you people."

"What choice do you have Lovato? You've got until four to give us your answer. Tick tock Agent 727, Tick tock." As the phone went silent I slammed the front door as a confused Selena stepped out of my room.

"I thought you were done with agent life."

"Yeah, I did too." I rolled my eyes, watching as concern flooded her. The look in her eyes pained me, as I pressed my back against the living room door. "I can't say no. They could take my entire life away from me."

"What if you get hurt again? Do they not care about that?" Selena angrily crossed her arms just as I agreed.

"I'll do my best not to catch a bullet with my shoulder." I laughed at myself but she only glared. "I have no choice."

"They can take this house. You don't need it. They can take your car, your money, who cares."

I rose my bad arm into the air, "I care. I'd be homeless."

"You got me." She smiled, "you'll always have me."

"Well, there's that." I found myself studying the woman before me. She had been with me through thick and thin, her life became my life. Her pain, my pain. "I guess I'll have to post pone our little dinner date."

"I don't think so. If you accept that job, you should at least be able to have dinner with me tonight. Deal?"

"Yeah."

I accepted the case obviously. But that night Selena and I met at a local restaurant near my home. She had dressed herself in an all black dress with straps that crossed over at the neck. I on the other hand wore a blazer with dress pants. I wasn't ready to expose my battle wound to the world. As we sat and joked at the table I began to feel a bit uneasy. Selena rolled her eyes at a previous joke I told and that's when I noticed something. There was a man sitting to the left of us, listening to our entire conversation. The man was pretending to eat, his foot tapping against the floor every so often. It came in threes. His eyes shifting, his foot tapping, his chin scratching. I searched the room with my eyes for anyone receiving his messages before a woman gave a slight nod. She rose her hand, her mouth moving as if she was ordering something or asking for something.

"Selena, we should get out of here." My instincts told me to jet out of there as fast as I could.

"We didn't even get to have dessert yet. And FYI, the check isn't paid for either."

"We can get something on the way home and I'll just leave the money on the table." I was feeling a bit antsy, as the woman stood, walking over to the door where a man in a large trechcoat stood.

"No other place has this type of cheesecake, besides, I brought you here to relax." As Selena rose her hand to flag down a waiter, the man next to us reached under the table. I quickly stood, grabbing Selena's arm, lifting her from her seat. "What's wrong?"

I didn't like to startle her, mainly because she hated my line of duty and thought I would bring it home. She was my best friend who cared a little more about my well being than I ever had. I tugged on her to follow me as the man stood, a pistol gripped between his fingers. His aim was precise, but I was quick as a shot went past my ear. The heat of the bullet warming my skin as a loud ringing noise went off.

"GET HER!" Voices cracked through the air as screams arose throughout the building. People ducked and dodged left and right as I pulled for Selena to follow me. I hadn't noticed how shaken she was until we ran out into the alleyway from the back door. I had found myself in another situation without a gun, without protection, and without the agency behind me. Selena had goose bumps trailing her arm as we ran to the end of the alley where a few cars were parked. We left our purses, her car keys and my sanity back at the restaurant.

"What's going on?" She panicked, as I released her to tug on a few car doors. In the short distance, I heard footsteps and more screaming people.

"Forgive me for doing this," I warned her, before using my good arm to slam my elbow into the window of a nearby car. It hurt like hell to crack the glass after two attempts, but I screamed for Selena to climb in.

"What's happening?" She panicked as I ran over to tug her into the car. I had nothing to slit wires, but by some miraculous power, the keys sat in the visor of the car. So much for ruining my elbow. A few scared restaurant patrons ran by as I started the car and speed down the road. Selena began to take a few deep breath, her hands gripping the dashboard.

"Calm down," I told her.

"Sure, someone was shooting at us, but lets just calm down."

"I can't focus while you're freaking out." That was a lie. I could focus if she was screaming in my ear and swatting at my head, but I didn't want her to get to that point.

"Is it the agency?" She asked just as I dodged an old woman and man in a old ford pickup.

"It can't be. It has to be…" I caught myself, "the less you know the better."

"The less I know," she scoffed, "someone shot at us!"

"I know," I reminded her. "I'll just get you home and figure all of this out."

"Oh sure," she sat back, her fingers still shaking as she pulled her seatbelt across her lap. No one was following us, the roads were dead from there on out as I pulled onto Selena's street. I shut the car off, staring into her dimly lit face.

"I'm sorry for that back there."

"How can you live like this?" She asked me, her hands clutching the strap across her lap.

"I can't. I gave it up two weeks ago, remember."

"Well obviously it followed you home."

"Obviously," I sighed. "But I'm sorry I put you in danger."

"I.." I watched as she climbed from the car, her feet carrying her to the front door.

"You what?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. Just as she stepped up to the door she faced me. "No keys."

"Oh, right." I shut off the borrowed vehicle and made my way to her side. I could finally feel my elbow and shoulder throbbing, burning even. "Is it okay if I jimmy the lock?"

"You're going to break into my house?"

"Well, you're already here." I signaled as she rolled her eyes. I dug into my hair for a bobby pin and my hair clip. I twisted one, and bent the other.

"You're going to get in the door with that?"

"Not the door." I told her, walking over to her front window. Good thing her block was dimly lit and the neighbors were spaced out because someone would of called the cops by now. As I let us both into the house, Selena fell into her living room sofa, face first.

"I've never been so scared in my life," she told me, finally sitting up.

"I'm sorry." I repeated before her face twisted and she ran over to me. "What?"

"You're bleeding?"

"I, what?" Honestly, I hadn't felt the warm oozing blood until Selena spoke of it. That's when I began to panic, rubbing my hand against my elbow where the blood was now soaking through my blazer sleeve. "How the hell did I cut myself?"

"Your ear," Selena brought her trembling fingers against my right ear, her eyes never faltering. That's when I realized, the blood was falling onto my blazer, not out of it.

"Did I get shot again?" I asked, un-amused as Selena ran into her bathroom. "This is why I quit. I suck at not getting shot."

"This isn't a joking matter," Selena returned, her hand falling into mine. She made me sit against the arm of the chair before she ran different things over my ear. Her eyes were stern, concerned, and hard as ice.

"If these guys followed me home..." I began to think aloud as Selena dropped her hands to her sides.

"Are you even safe Demi?"

"You don't want to know that answer." I truthfully stated as she fell onto her knees before me. Selena ran her slightly bloody hands over my exposed knee, her eyes looking up into mine. She chewed on her bottom lip in thought before thumbing my skin.

"I need you to be safe."

"I want to be safe."

"Maybe you need help. Like Joe's help." Selena's eyes began to cloud with tears as I forced her to stand. Her finger sat cradled between mine as I was now the one looking up at her from my place on the couch arm.

"That sounds like a plan," I gave her a faint smile. "But don't worry about me. I always get through all of this."

"I can't lose you."

"I know," I smiled, "I know."

After three hours of laying with Selena in her bed, rubbing my fingers through her hair until she fell asleep, I slowly crept out of her bed. I went into the next room to use her landline phone, which at a time like this I was thankful she still hand. I dialed Joe's number from memory before his voice rung through.

"Selena?" He asked confused as I sighed.

"Hey, its me."

"Demi?"

"I'm in trouble." I inform him as his once asleep state shakes.

"What kind of trouble?"

"Like, someone tried to kill me and Selena hours ago at Gino's."

"That was you?" He asked, as I question how he knew about the shooting. "Hell, its all over the city news. How the hell did you get caught up in shit like that?"

"I think Onyx found their way to our city."

"The hell did you just say?"

"I think they found me."

"How?"

"Look, we could play twenty questions all night, but I need to get to headquarters. You up for it?"

"Tonight?" He asked as I scoffed annoyed.

"The sooner the better. Hell, I don't want to put Selena into any danger being around me."

"If she was with you at the restaurant she's already in danger."

"I doubt it. People like that go after those close to you. I'm not close with my family."

"But you're close with her. How can you not see that?"

"But she's nothing to me." As those words escaped my lips I realized what I just said. I held my breath as my chest heaved. "What I meant to say was, she's just Selena."

"Your best friend." Joe reminded me. "The girl whose had your heart since grade school. She's nothing?"

"Look," I breathed into the receiver. "The further away from her I am, the safer she'll be."

"Fine. I'll get you in thirty."

"Meet me at my house."

"Fine." As Joe and I hung up the phone I took a deep breath and pressed my way back to Selena's room. The moon shimmered across the sheets on the bed before I realized Selena wasn't in it. I panicked for a moment before I flicked on her room light. I tried to find her but noticed her reflection in the vanity mirror. She scared me half to death standing next to me, her back pressed against the wall.

"I um, I'm meeting Joe." I informed her.

"I heard."

"I'm sorry if you heard everything I said, its just…"

"Listen," her voice was raspy, her eyes puffy as if she was crying. But I knew her too well to know that pulling herself out of her sleep was the culprit. "I know you just want to protect me. But if I'm not going to be safe in my own home, wouldn't it be best if I just go with you?"

"No!" I answered quickly. "I refuse to put you in any more danger. Besides, you'll be fine here."

"And if something happens to me. Will you feel nothing?" Her hair fell across her cheeks before she brushed her fingers through it.

"Nothing is going to happen I promise."

"If you say so." She stood upright just as I grabbed her hand. She hadn't looked back, she just stood where she was.

"I have to meet Joe now. Don't answer the landline. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Am I a prisoner in my own home now?"

"No," I assured her, "just get some sleep and don't worry about me."

"Right," She tugged her arm away, "like that'll ever happen."


	2. Catch Me

It was half past ten when I met Joe at one of our meeting spots. Just above a liquor bar sat out small hideout. Joe was completely dressed in all black, his hair slicked and eyes worried. Upon spotting me he pulled me inside and hugged me tightly before releasing me.

"My arm." I complained, as the small stinging sensation subsided.

"Where's Selena?" His voice was groggy at best.

"What do you mean? I told you I wasn't bringing her."

"And I told you that if she was with you…," Joe stepped away, "what did the people look like? Your attackers?"

"I don't know," I sighed, "I had my guard completely down. Maybe one guy was around six feet, large shoulders with a scar down his right arm." I honestly hadn't paid much attention tonight to the people around me. Big mistake.

"You're a trained operative. How the fuck did you not stake out your surroundings?"

"Joe," I tried calming him. "I was out of the club. Off the team. I quit. How was I supposed to know that one dinner would end up like this?" I took in the surrounding area, my nose burning from the smell of strong ginger.

"You said you thought they were Onyx. How?"

"The only detail I could make out was that each attacker had the mark of the Onyx. The black triangular pyramid. I've been on that case so long I wouldn't forget that image."

As Joe paced the room a few times he finally stood still. He gave me a once over before pulling out his attached cell phone. It sat on his belt, and now in his hand.

"Who are you calling?"

"Help." He assured me, just as a knock came to the door. No one was suppose to know we were here, and I meant no one. Although my arm and ear were out of sorts, I took a stance, watching as the knob turned and a man appeared.

"Demi, Joe." A smile crept across the man's face. I had let the scene before me soak in just as another built operative entered. It was Joe's younger brother, Nick. Both guys trained together and came into the agency together. They were inseparable. I wondered why he wasn't his partner.

"So any word?" Joe cut straight to the point.

"Its not good. Apparently whoever tipped off the group about Demi's whereabouts also knew about her home. I hacked into a signal feed that was coming from one of the vans just blocks from Gino's. They were watching you." Nick pulled out his phone, scrolling through it to show me the ping off of cell towers.

"How could you not catch onto someone stalking you?" Joe asked annoyed as I rose my sore arm.

"I was nursing myself back to help," I informed him, "it hurts like hell believe it or not." I walked away from the two as Nick continued.

"Whoever was following you, knew exactly where you were going to be tonight. They planted vans near the restaurant and at your home. They even placed one outside of here." Nick's eyes were lifeless as he said that.

"Here?" I questioned as Nick explained the situation he went through before coming up.

"We have to get out of the city. Its not just Demi. Someone is hunting all of us." Nick slid his phone back into his chest pocket, his eyes working over the two of us. "I'm sure whoever that guy was without a head downstairs sent for backup before he lost it."

"Wait," I had processed Nick's words slowly, letting my training fade out just before it returned with a vengeance. "They staked out our homes?"

"It seems like your home. But I could be misinterpreting the information." Nick went for the door as I stood frozen.

"Selena." My voice hardly escaped as my blood ran cold. I no longer felt anything except guilt. "We have to get Selena!" I screamed.

"Shit." Joe countered just before he flew out of the door. I followed behind him just as I hopped into Nick's car. Joe climbed in his own as we swerved through the almost empty streets. I tried to catch my breath, dialing the house phone from the car. There was no answer.

"Damn it Selena, wake the hell up." I could actually feel myself losing all thought. I could only see images of death, blood and fire circulating through my head.

"Nothing?" Nick asked as we pulled around the last corner. The house sat in the dark, just like always, but I got a sickening feeling. "Take it slow." He instructed me. But I couldn't. I refused to. I crouched down heading towards the side of the house. My fingers brushed against the window just before I slid it open. It was the same one I used that night to sneak in. I was a fucking amateur it seemed at keeping Selena and myself safe. I didn't even lock it after we had returned home. There were no sounds coming from the house. No ticking clock. No beeping alarm to tell of danger. I made my way towards Selena's room, a bluish light shimmering from beneath it. Her door was cracked. She hated that. My heart was pounding just as I inched closer. Just before I pushed the door open, a hand landed against my back softly. I almost jumped out of my own skin as Joe covered my mouth from screaming. I was definitely a fucking amateur.

Although I felt queasy at the thought of not finding Selena on the other side of the door, I push through. Her eyes were shimmering as she spotted me, screaming before catching her breath.

"What the hell Demi!" She yelled. "You scared me half to death."

"I'm so happy you're okay." I stood, running over to her, pulling her into me as she protested before giving in.

"We have to go," Joe reminded me.

"You heard him." I tugged on her as she blindly followed me.

"What now?" She complained just before Joe abruptly stopped. I crashed into his back just as Selena did the same to me.

"Demi, take the back way and get Selena out of here." His voice was stern, cold even. I hadn't noticed the automatic in his arms until his rose it. I pulled Selena closer, her body covered by my own. I could now see the small shimmering light flashing through the front window.

"What's going on?" Selena questioned. "Are they back?"

"Listen to me. Stay close and don't make a sound." I finally faced her, pushing her back slowly before we made it down the hall. She insisted on a library months ago and considering we had no space, her office about covered it. We crept inside, her hand never leaving mine. I couldn't tell how she was taking this, but I had no time to comfort her. I slid past the oak desk, my fingers fumbling under it just before I pulled the hidden revolver from its place. Selena hadn't questioned me, she followed my every step as I slowly unlatched the window. The alarm began to ring in the front indicating my movement before I quickly leapt out into the grass.

"Come," I whispered as Selena hesitated. "Now!" I insisted as she gave me her shaking hand. I hadn't noticed up until now how her state of being was. She was in her night shirt, barefooted might I add and shaking. Once her feet touched the ground, we ducked and made it across a small patch towards the neighbors.

"I don't think so." A small cackle echoed from my side before I blacked out. It was just for a moment as the searing pain and Selena's scream filled the air. The house I once knew, so calm and peaceful, lit up like the fourth of July. Guns became popping off as I took to my feet. I rammed my shoulder into the man's stomach as he toppled over to catch his breath.

"Selena, run!" I managed to breath out as the man caught his balance. His fist went straight for my shoulder. The blow hurt like hell as I fell to my knees. He quickly wrapped his arms around my head as if he wanted to snap my neck. I did my best to fight through my pain, using a tactic I once learned before to counter him. He went tumbling over my shoulder as my eyes found Selena's location. She was perched against a fence, watching me as if her life depended on it. I told her to run, but she hadn't gone far. My mind went straight to Joe. He was inside with those blazing guns. I found my balance, pulling my fallen revolver from the ground where I had previous fallen. I didn't think twice before delivering two blows to the man on the ground. Double tap style. One to the chest and the second to the head.

I fought through the searing pain in both my head and shoulder and grabbed Selena's arm. I lead her around our neighbor's house as lights began to flicker on in every direction. The full view of our once great home became clear. It was now filled with men and women, storming inside, one after the other. It was like a war zone. If I was ever to admit my fear, it was now. Selena no longer gripped my hand, but I had hers. The car Nick and Joe once drove was flooded with people searching through it.

"Lets go." As we entered the bushes of others and police sirens blared in the distance, I shakily sat us between my neighbor's rock garden and bushed. I always told that man how I hated that one random giant boulder in his yard. I didn't like it any less now, but I was thankful for it. I knew Selena wouldn't run far without my assistance and her bare feet were now covered in scars and possibly blood. The agents, or whoever they were from Onyx began to disband as the cops arrived. I wanted to find out what happened but I wasn't stupid. I faced Selena, her eyes distant. I didn't know how I'd bring her back from tonight. I didn't even know if I wanted to.

Hot, out of breath and tired was how we arrived at what I hoped to find was our second untouched safe house. Selena and I slinked inside after I staked out the perimeter. It was safe, for now at least. I hadn't had any contact with Nick or Joe in the past three hours. I refused to think of the worse. Selena shakily followed me into one of the back rooms. The place was dim for a reason. Once we entered the room however, the dimness faded. The walls were splashed in bright oranges and yellows. The furniture white with royal blue blankets and vases.

"I have to contact Nick and Joe." My voice wasn't very reassuring.

"D…don't leave me." Selena's voice scared me. Her skin was pale and moist, her eyes blank and expressionless. But her hands, they trembled fiercely.

"I won't leave you." I studied her, just before walking over to the closest. I knew that everything inside was fit for tall built figures, but something clean and covering would have to do. I pulled out a towel, a shirt and some pants. "You should shower."

"How is this okay?" her voice was still high.

"I don't know." I handed her the things, or at least I tried to. "You're going into shock." I told her, as her stance stiffened. I was sure that everything was flashing through her head like a movie, causing her multiple heart palpations that were making her dizzy. "Hey," I dropped the clothes onto the bed. "Come here." I wrapped my arms around Selena's seemingly cold shivering frame. Her hair smelled of lilac and strawberries. She must of showered before I came home and found her. But she definitely needed another one. We both were covered in dirt, leaves and twigs. But I too, was covered in blood. I sat with her on the room floor, her chin pressing into my shoulder as I stoked her hair. I could feel her breath warming my neck just as voices broke the silence.

"Demi are you here?!"

"Joe?! Yes!" I called out to him, never removing from where I was. As he entered the room, he could see how I struggled to keep Selena and I held up.

"You're safe," He came over to me, brushing his dirty fingers off in my hair. "Where the hell did you go? After I told you to leave I…"

"Wait." I breathed out. I thumped Selena's back just as Shane gave me a slight nod.

"I'll be out in the hall." He turned on his feet, happy to see my alive instead of dead. I plucked Selena back a bit.

"Please shower. I have to talk to Shane. I swear I'll be right outside this door. There's no windows in here so you'll be safe. I'll be back." I couldn't find a trace of the woman I once knew. She had somehow hidden deep within herself within just hours. I leaned into her, my lips pressing against her warm tear stained cheek. "Five minutes, I swear." It took me a while to pull away, but as I entered the hall, I slowly closed the door.

"Any word from Nick?" I asked first.

"Yeah. He got shot in the fucking arm but he's over on the East side getting patched up." Joe reached for me, pulling me into his arms. "You gave me a fucking heart attack."

"Sorry." I sighed, just as he released me.

"How's she doing?"

"I…she saw me kill someone." My voice rung in my ear as I spoke those words.

"You had to I'm sure."

"Yeah. I have a fucking splitting headache to prove it." My throat was dry, but I had promised Selena I wouldn't move away from the door. "So how did you get out?"

"I shot straight through. Men. Women. What's the difference when there's a damn target on your back?" Joe began to wipe his face with the back side of his hand. It only smudged the dirt around. "I say by six we make our way over to the East side."

"I can't move Selena. She's already traumatized."

"Demi, if we stay on this side of town our ass if grass. We'll become the dirt."

"I…"

"Selena needs to woman up and move. You can't babysit her. We have to stop this war on us." Joe faced me, his eyes cold.

"Where should I take her?"

"To headquarters."

"I," There was nothing else I could do. It was the only safe place for her. "I have a busted shoulder, a killer headache and you want me to get over it within a few hours. Also, I have to move a woman that's literally in shock?" I sighed, "Just let her sleep a bit. I'll be ready."

"Fine." Joe gave me a nod. "I'll do some lookout, I don't trust this situation that we're in."

"Well that makes two of us." I turned away, entering the room to find Selena under the covers. She had showered, her hair spread across her pillow as her eyes met mine. I took a deep breath. "I have to shower." I left her for a good ten minutes before meeting her at the bed. I climbed in next to her, her eyes till open.

"Do you usually shoot people?" Her voice was but a whisper.

"If necessary." Why lie.

"I was scared that he….," she closed her eyes before I slid into the sheets close to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into me. She placed her forehead against mine.

"I'm fine."

"You've had to deal with this a lot I guess." Selena closed her eyes, her breath numbing me.

"I never wanted to put you into this kind of situation."

She stayed silent.

"Get some sleep. In a few hours we have to move. Bosses orders," I smiled but it wasn't received. Selena had already lost all motion as she fell asleep in my arms. I didn't dare move. But just as fast as she fell asleep, crazy enough, so did I.

I knew I was asleep. But my mind would never let me catch the rest that I needed. I felt cold, shaken. I swallowed deeply as my eyes shifted. My dream wouldn't let me escape it. _I was running, I felt like I was running at least. I had lost Selena somewhere between our home and our hideout. I was backtracking trying to find her. My stomach turned as I called out her name carelessly into the night. My team had disappeared. The people who were suppose to protect me were nowhere in sight. I shook from the air around me. My fingers stung as I gripped the pistol I carried against my chest. I had no idea where she was and I was losing my mind. I called out to her once more._

 _"Selena!" My voice shook as a scream pierced the night. I stood frozen. My body grew sweaty as I took it one slow step at a time towards the noise. Her voice faded. I prayed she'd be fine, that she was okay. As my finger clutched my gun even tighter, I aimed it towards the front of me. I didn't know who I was shouting out to but I began screaming curse words. They had to let her go. How could I lose her like that?_

 _One moment I was in an empty street and the next I stood in the middle of a crowded building. I lowered my gun as people carried on with their lives. I knew this place. It was one of the skyscrapers downtown. Selena worked here. I ran towards the elevator, questioning if I should climb inside before doing so. As I patiently awaited reaching the top floor, more people piled inside. I could feel myself losing control. I tried shoving through the people, but it seemed as if they were never ending. I took a deep breath, my arms stretching blindly in front of me. That's when the door stopped closing and opened just for me. I shoved my way out, cheering in victory. I made it down to that familiar office, my fingers turning the doorknob that lead to that familiar desk. Behind it, Selena sat._

 _"Hi." I smiled as her eyes shifted from her papers._

 _"You're dirty." She rose her finger, my skin now covered in blood. I shook my head, trying to explain to her that it wasn't mine. She wouldn't listen, standing, shaking, crying. It was a nightmare trying to calm such a person. But that's when a shot echoed through the hall I just left. Someone was coming. I gazed down at the pistol I was once carrying and it was gone. I must have lost it in the elevator. But another odd thing, one second ago I had blood on my hands and the next, I didn't._

 _"Selena," my voice shook. "Trust me." I stretched out my hand as she walked over towards me, studying my figure before gripping my hand. My chest pierced in pain as I focused on her. Her eyes burned my soul as her fingers gripped tighter. I could hardly breath. I jumped away from her for a moment._

"Wake up." I felt a arm shaking me as I shot up in bed. That dream captured my breath as I faced Joe. He had gently shaken me, but his voice pierced the air. "Its time." His eyes shifted over towards a sleeping Selena. "What were you dreaming about?" He fingers brushing against my cheek. I would never allow anyone this close to me, except for Joe and his brother. Selena was my bonus. He rubbed his fingers together.

"It was nothing," I slowly crawled from bed. If I was to have anymore dreams in the future, I prayed they weren't like the one I just had. "I'll wake her."

"You're too attached," he sighed.

"Joe.."

"That's why they came for her. You know that right?"

I glanced back at the sleeping woman. Her hair pressed against her face as her arms blindly clutched the pillow I once laid against.

"Joe. Not now." I informed him as he signaled towards the wall clock.

"We leave in twenty." I gave a slight nod just before crawling back into bed. I shifted more into Selena as I watched her sleep. She seemed troubled, but she slept none the less. I had fought most of my years knowing her, telling myself she was just my friend. She was…no she is. But I also saw her as something more. I kept that distance between her and I because it was the only way to protect her. She could tell, I was sure of it. I slid my fingers through her hair, my lips pressing against her temple before she mumbled.

"Demi…"

I watched her squeeze her eyes shut, my stomach churning. Although I knew I might have loved her, I would never get the chance to. I was a danger to her, I always was. Anyone was better for her than I was. As her fingers clenched and unclenched from my hands I gently rocked her to wake her. Her eyes hardly opened before she pulled her hands away. In that small moment I felt sharp pains dart through my body, and they weren't imaginary. My elbow stung. My shoulder ached, sending sharp pains through me.

"Fuck!" I hissed as Selena finally sat up. "Sorry," I apologized just as Joe called out to us.

"Ten minutes Demi." His voice almost shook the place. I sighed, Selena's eyes still on mine.

"We have to go." My voice was low as she studied me.

"Go where?"

"To headquarters." I didn't tell her that I was leaving her there. It would be wrong of me to have her worry about what was to come. I crawled form the bed once more, instructing her to grab some shoes from the closet. At least one of the nine pair in there had to fit her. She did as I asked before Joe walked into the room.

"Its six," he informed us.

"Lets go." I sighed.


	3. The Programmer

Joe led the way into what would soon be daybreak. We had rounded a corner, the streetlights fading in and out as people began to emerge. Selena stuck to my side, silent just as the moment prior. Joe faced me, raising his arm before gazing away.

"What is it?" I asked just as he signaled towards a black van. My first thought, Onyx had found us once more and there was no way we'd be getting out of this one.

"Its one of ours," Joe made the first move, his feet carrying him across the road. I watched as the van's door slid open, exposing two well dressed agents. They both glanced over their shoulders eying me.

"When you're ready," the driver called over. Selena advanced ahead with her head hung low, her fingers twirling between one another just as she climbed inside. I did the same after Joe before we were on our way. "So, two top agents calling for class three help. That's a bold move."

"We're under attack. Haven't you guys been debriefed on anything?" Joe slid up against the passenger seat, his eyes studying the man. I had other things to worry about. I did accept my last mission, it was something I felt like I was forced to do. But with Selena sitting against the window, her head pressed against its glass, I was rethinking my decision. We would get to headquarters a little after seven. I did my best to close my eyes and catch a few winks of sleep before I was hassled about the previous night. I knew that I would be getting poked and prodded on the upcoming matter. Joe silently sat in place, his hands holding onto both driver and passenger headrests. As the time ticked by and six quickly became seven, a loud speaker broke my silence.

"Agents 728, 937 and 938, please exit the vehicle now." The voice was a familiar one. Calm. Not demanding or threatening at all. Joe faced me, his hand brushing against my exposed hand. I pulled away. He did as he was instructed just before the gates to HQ opened. The large steel frame began to shake before finding its common place and halting. "Agent 727, please exit the vehicle and join the others." I faced Selena, who's silence was beginning to get to me. I wouldn't leave her alone sitting in the van, there was no way. "Agent 727," the voice called out once more. I gazed towards the car's dashboard, finding the tiny camera propped up against it. The voice was coming through the speakers, whoever peered from the other side could catch all my hesitations at once.

"You should do as they say," Selena calmly spoke. Her voice had found its power just before the voice on the speaker hissed through.

"Agent 727, last warning."

"A warning?" I snapped, just as a group began to file out of the building ahead. I watched them intensely as Selena finally sat up alert, or for the moment, and crawled towards me. We both gazed at the dozens of agents mixed in with soldiers as a familiar face emerged. I hadn't noticed myself holding my breath until the man walked over to the van.

"Really Lovato?" He shook his head annoyed.

"Joseph." He was the leader of the entire operation, well at least of our division. I watched as he stepped over to my side, the door sitting open as he peered past me.

"She's the reason you're not following protocol?" He asked as I shrugged.

"I guess I didn't feel like it."

"Step out please. The both of you." As we did what we were told, the men and women that once surrounded the building now crowded us. We were led up the cement steps, the air thickening as we walked. Once inside the large building, we were lead down the hall into a conference room. If anyone was waiting for us I couldn't tell. All I could see were the agents crowing the room with the clicking of soldiers boots in the distance. Just as Joseph stopped, so did the group. I felt Selena knock into my back before finding her footing.

"Dismissed." Joseph called to everyone, "727, 728." As the room emptied, Joe and I were the only ones remaining. Well, besides Selena. She began to trail the room, her fingers rubbing over different objects. Still, she hardly said a word. I would have to get some alone time with her, she had to speak. I knew shooting someone in front of her and everything else that happened last night was going to take a toll on her. I hadn't expected her to become mute. "728, Jonas, can you explain what the hell happened last night?"

"Before or after I was almost smoked in a house by over thirty Onyx ops?" Joe found a chair at the long table which sat in the room. He didn't ask to sit, her just did so.

"727," he faced me.

"Its Demi behind closed doors." I signaled to the locked hardwood. "I just went out for a dinner one moment, and the next, I'm being shot at. Look at my ear," I ran my fingers over the small Band-Aid Selena had applied just hours earlier. "My fucking shoulder isn't even healed and I'm being stalked and shot at."

"And how did that happen? Nick gave us intel that you were being followed for at least two weeks." Joseph gazed around the room just before he spotted Selena. She had been listening the entire time, although she blindly paced the room, trying to keep occupied. "Can we find her a place to be while we talk?" Joseph asked.

"I can't let her out of my sight." I stated.

"She'll be perfectly fine sitting out in the hall with fifty soldiers and agents. Trust me."

"Trust you?" I faced my old friend just as Joe stood.

"If you two want to talk, we'll wait in the hall." He signaled for Selena to follow him before she did so. I was seriously going to have a talk with her later. I had never experienced her follow directions without protest. Within the past two hours she had followed both Joe's instruction as well as some agent she hadn't known.

"You let your guard down." Joseph explained, "you put every barrier down. Every last one."

"I didn't expect to be pulled back into the agency within seconds of rejoining. One last mission right?" I sighed, sitting where Joe once was. "I went out to dinner and was attacked."

"I knew you were being followed." He finally admitted. "I had Joe keep a close watch, but he didn't know why. I contacted the house because I expected to see you prepped and ready to finish what you started. Instead," he breathed out slowly, "you brought a civilian into this mess. She can't unsee the actions of last night."

"That's not what I'm worried about. Onyx has been tracking me right? So that means they've been tracking Selena as well. She's the only person besides those in the agency that I hang around. Her house was practically obliterated last night."

"Our agents are searching the perimeter and working with local law enforcement to gather any intel from her home."

"She doesn't have anything of mine there."

"You stay there often."

"So, that's none of your business."

"Lovato," Joseph sighed, "you're the only one that can activate the virus stored inside of Onyx's computer mainframe. Going after them means they'll be coming after you. We already lost agents last night. We can take them completely down and they know that now. So they'll be trying to take us down, even our families."

"I'm not close with my family." I sighed.

"Which is why they went after her," his eyes flickered towards the door before he refaced me. "You have to do this. If not for yourself, than for her. Last night's fuck up….lets just make sure you don't fuck up again. This entire agency is under attack, we have to work together. We have to manually override their system with the B.O.N.E.S virus."

"Manually?" I sat up. "I can't."

"You have to."

"I'm not taking my ass back to Guadalajara. I had to create a virus and install it, both actions almost getting me killed. Now you're telling me that considering I didn't die from those actions I should activate it from their headquarters?"

"If anyone else knew how to do it I'd send them. It was your virus, your programming. This is your mission." Joseph sighed, his eyes searching my face for any signs of me backing down.

"I need to think about this."

"We're giving you twenty four hours. No one's truly safe here anymore. I'm sending everyone out to our Florida base in the morning. I'll have a solider show you your room for the day."

"Nick," I stood, "where is he?"

"On the seventeenth floor." Joseph paced towards the door before calling Joe in. I let him pass before looking over at Selena. I would have to talk to her, she couldn't stay silent much longer. And I refuse to accept her minimalist words.

. . . . . . . . . .

Selena sprawled out onto the bed, her hair brushing against her face as her eyes found mine. I hadn't told her that I was going to accept Joseph's offer, what choice did I have.. She just thought I'd handle things from the inside, she didn't know I had to be the one to infiltrate the base once again. I removed my jacket, my shoulder was finally starting to feel better.

"Oh god." Selena gasped, sitting Indian style for a moment or so before she slid towards the edge of the bed. I watched as she signaled me over.

"What is it?"

"Your shoulder." Selena had took it upon herself to tend to my needs as I sat next to her. She shifted into me, her legs gently pressing against my back. Her fingers slid over my shoulder as I tried to focus on anything other than her touch.

"So," I sighed out loud, "how bad is the damage doc?"

"It's red." Her voice faded as her fingers moved around what I suppose was the red swollen tissues of my skin. She lowered herself next to my ear, her eyes slightly finding mine. "This thing will never heal if you're going to be so rough."

"I don't try to be," I honestly spoke. "The story of my life." Selena gave a slight nod, her lips pressing into my shoulder as she kissed the tender skin. I was familiar with her sweet tactics but there was no way I could return such gestures. I was a danger to her and I felt like I'd always be.

I pried myself away from her. Standing before gazing at the room once more. Joe would be coming to check on me, his specialty. Selena watched as I began to look through the room drawers. I made a mental note to myself that I'd have to carry a gun with me. My last one I left in the bushes of Selena's neighbors' place, and they wouldn't be happy upon finding it.

"How long are we going to be here?" Selena laid down on the bed once again.

"For a while." I informed her.

"But how long?" She whined, her hands hitting the sheets as I faced her completely. There was something about Selena that always hypnotized me. Maybe it was the way she looked at me. Maybe it was the way I felt every time she did anything. Her actions were adorable, captivating even.

"I have to see what Joe and I are going to do." I made my way towards the door, walking out before the brunette could protest. And just like clockwork, Joe appeared.

"I was coming for you." He pointed as I smiled.

"Because you're predictable." I informed him. He scratched his head once before waving a file into the air. I paced myself towards him just before snatching the folder.

"We have to go back to Mexico," Joe studied me as I searched the file at hand. It held information I had already known. B.O.N.E.S was the developed program that was placed into a tiny hard drive. Its design was created to hack into any system, retrieve necessary information and transfer it over to the host. Such information as hideout locations, banking information and even housing depots.

"I've seen it all before," My eyes flickered back to the room door.

"Did you tell her yet?"

"That I was leaving her here?" I chuckled, " yeah, right."

"Nick and I are going with you if that helps ease her mind."

"It won't."

"She loves you, you know. I can see it." Joe grabbed the file from my hand. "That makes her a distraction."

"I've always been focused on missions. I've never once screwed up."

"Except for when we were in Guadalajara last month."

"I got shot. Shit happens." We began walking towards the stairs which lead to the courtyard. I had been annoyed that people always thought they knew better for me than myself. But I couldn't hold anything against Joe, he was there for me when there was no one. And although I refused to admit it, in a way, he was my family too.

"I'm sure infiltrating their base won't be easy this time around." Joe gazed across the space before we both spotted Nick. He briskly walked towards us before pointing to his arm.

"I got shot," he complained. "It hurt like hell."

"Tell me about it," I sighed, tapping my own covered battle wound. "I don't plan on getting shot again."

"Like I'd let that happen," Joe tried to smile as Nick grabbed the file from his brother.

"Guadalajara?" He asked.

"Yeah," I gave a nod.

"How are we going to get inside? And this," his finger clicked the bottom of the file, "activate the virus?"

"It's a developed program that had already been implanted. It was suppose to be remotely activated. It didn't." I answered.

"Obviously. So you have to do it manually? You know how?"

"No." I breathed as Nick faced me.

"I'm putting my fucking life on the line for something you don't even know how to use?"

"Hey," Joe calmed his brother. "She just needs to find a way to use it, right?"

"Right." I gave a nod.

"Aren't you the programmer?" Nick asked as I blankly stared at him.

"No." I hesitated as the younger man looked between the two of us.

"Then who the hell is?" Nick's voice had risen as I faced Joe. He knew, and I knew, but I never wanted the agency to know.

"Selena," I whispered.


	4. Goodbye Blue Sky

Nick wouldn't stop staring at me just as the noise in the courtyard grew. I had known not to tell anyone about Selena's coding skills, because I knew they'd try to lure her into the program. I, on the other hand merely suggested she'd help me. She honestly did more than that. There were three lines of maybe eight or nine agents all assembled one after the other in the building's hall now.

"We're guarding this place until noon tomorrow." Joe had obviously listened in on Joseph's ramblings. While I on the other hand, only heard him scold me for not being prepared and letting my guard down. I knew both were true. "We should head back to our rooms. Figure this whole thing out."

We trailed the steps back to our hall, where all of our rooms lie. My door was down the hall, right across from Selena's. Joe and Nick's were adjacent to them. Nick hadn't stopped staring at me until we reached a place of our own solitude. We gathered in Joe's room.

"How can you release government information to a civilian?" The younger of the two scolded once more. I was tired of being treated like a child.

"I knew she could do the job."

"Yeah, and now we're left in a predicament where HER program has to be activated. Manually. Within forty eight hours or we'll all be wiped out. And yet I'm sure you're happy that you have her here, because you can take care of her. Just like you can take care of yourself right?" Nick poked my shoulder as I hissed, swatting his hand away.

"I can carry out the mission. I just have to know what to do."

"Don't you think that's what everyone's been trying to do? The damn remote activation can't be carried out. If she programmed the virus guess what? She knows how to hack into it. She knows how to find whatever is stopping it from initiating, and she can begin the stream." Nick walked over to the small fridge in the room, pulling open the door to check its contents.

"I won't allow her to be put into danger."

"Too bad," The man hissed, "she's a part of it now."

"No, she isn't!" I stood my ground just as Joe stepped between the two of us.

"Listen," he sighed. "None of us had anything to eat. It's going on one o'clock. Who knows how much time we have left before Onyx breaks into our headquarters. If Selena knows the program, she can walk Demi through it." Joe faced his brother as a scoff arose.

"Right. How long is that going to take?" Nick awaited an answer, but silence only followed.

"Thanks to this agency, we're all screwed anyway." I had enough of listening to all of this talk. "They know our faces. They know where we live. It's just a matter of time before they wipe what we've come to know away. We have to work together."

"I agree. Lets just relax a bit, grab something to eat and we can worry about this later." Joe faced me, his eyes concerned.

"Nick," I faced his brother. "We can figure it out later on tonight. We have twenty four hours before this place is nothing but sand on a lot."

"Tick-tock." He stood, walking past Joe and I before the door flung open. I sighed, walking into the hall and back into Selena's room. Upon spotting me she sat up on the bed provided for her. She had untangled her hair, letting it fall across her shoulders. Her agent outfit still holding its place upon her skin.

"We should get something to eat." I informed her, just as she shook herself into the moment.

"That's how last night began."

"But this time we're protected." I had wondered if we'd have anything to wear besides black pants and a top. "Want to hit up the disguise room? I'm sure they have entire wardrobes in there."

"How many people have you killed before?" Selena's voice, although low, chilled me. She had taken last night's encounter and held onto it for dear life. As I stood near the door and she sat feet away, I pondered on what to tell her.

"I don't know." I shrugged, "Maybe one, maybe more. I don't know."

"How can you not know?" She asked, her feet finding the floor as she stood.

"Because I try my best not to kill anyone. That's not my line of business."

"Then who's is it?" She crossed her arms, her eyes dull and hard.

"You weren't supposed to witness last night," I apologized, "I never wanted you to see any of that."

"So you've done this once before?"

"I've seen things. I promise you, I don't go out looking to cause deadly fire. I do what's necessary. I was put in a position that could of ended my life."

"So you ended his?" Selena stepped over towards me as I lowered my eyes onto the floor. She always found a way to bring out my vulnerability. She caused me to over thinking both past and future actions. "I understand." She whispered. "I'm sorry you had to choose between you and him." She placed her fingers against my elbow before pulling away.

"Lunch?" I spoke up.

"Fine," she was still a bit shaken up, her mind all over the place I could tell. But I was just happy she found a way to break through it.

"But can we try out that disguise room first? I really need to change."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Come on it's almost two." My stomach was eating at itself. I felt out of it as I awaited Selena's outfit choice. I happily changed into some dark blue jeans with a black top, pulling on some boots from the other end of the room. There were only a few women that could pull off this look. I was thankful, I was one of them. I pulled my hair into a bun and pressed my back against the far wall awaiting for Selena's reveal. Joe had did the same just minutes before, leaving before I poked fun at his beach look. But one smart thing he did do however. He slid me a silver 44 revolver. I tucked it into my boot, switching on the safety of course. Just before I began to complain, a side door opened.

"I'm ready." Selena began to run her fingers over the dress she had chosen. I would typically protest, considering our lives were in danger, but I enjoyed the view. She had chosen a red velvet dress which crisscrossed at the back. It ran above her knees as her hair, the same as before, fell over her shoulders.

"All of that for a lunch that's literally taking place down the hall?" I smirked as she gave a shy nod. I placed my hand out for her to take it, as she made her way to my side. Her hand sliding between mine as we trailed into the hall. The place seemed eerily quiet for the amount of soldiers it held. We made it around the corner to a small room. The space held one round table with food covering each nook and cranny. Nick was already stuffing his face as he watched those around him. I released Selena's hand upon his gaze before we grabbed our own plates. There was hardly room to sit down, but we did so anyway in one of the corners.

"So how long are we going to be here again?" Selena was pressuring me to inform her, and I didn't have the heart to tell her I was leaving her here. She stuffed a few chopped pineapples into her mouth, her eyes still on mine. It had seemed as if nothing had happened.

"They want me to go back to Guadalajara." I took a bite out of some of the salad on my plate.

"No." Her fork dropped onto her plate. No one besides she and I could hear the clicking it made.

"I have to. We could at least take down a part of the origination responsible for tracking us. We stop them, we can stop running."

"You aren't running now."

"Not until tomorrow." I began eating once more as Selena's hand caught my wrist. I struggled to eat my salad before giving up and sitting upright.

"This is our home."

"It was," I breathed out. "But your home was...who knows what they've done to my place." I hadn't realized that my house could have been raided, blown up or even shot up within the past few hours and I hadn't heard a word.

"You're not going back."

"I have to activate the virus. I do that, we're in the clear."

"You were shot last time," Selena's voice was getting louder, but still lower than the other conversations that held the small space together. "Besides, didn't I program the remote?" She whispered as I studied the room.

"I guess it didn't work."

"What do you mean guess? It was programmed just fine. With one flip of the switch it was bound to start pumping the virus. The transmission was flawless." Selena studied me as I did the same to her. "Did you personally set it up?"

I had to process what she was asking me. I knew where she was going with this, but I had the remote. I was the last one to hold it.

"Nick," I stood, "where's Joe?"

"He said he had to speak with Joseph." The man began to chew once again as Selena studied me concerned.

"Even if I didn't start the link, someone had to right?" I questioned her as she stood next to me. "Can't you create another one, programmed to do what the last one did?"

"I could," she placed her plate onto the table. "But only if you hadn't forced me to wipe the program clean from my computer system."

"So Guadalajara it is." I proclaimed once more.

"I'm not allowing you to go."

"Back when I said, it was that guy or me. Now its everyone I know or them."

"You don't have to save the world Demetria." Selena rarely used my first name when speaking to me. She was the only other person besides Joe and Nick that spoke to me on a first name basis. I watched as she crossed her arms, her red dress now scrunching slowly.

"I'm not trying to save the world." I stepped into the hall as Selena followed, her eyes hard as stone. "When I say its 'us' or 'them', I meant it."

"If you do this," she slowed her pace. "You might not come back."

"I'm promising you that I will."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Selena had closed off every wall I knew in order to stand before me. "If what you did to that guy last night happens to you."

"Don't," I shook my head as she bit her bottom lip.

"If you go, I go. In every form that can be taken."

"Joe will have my back. I'll be fine."

"You're leaving me here aren't you?" Selena hadn't moved from where she stood. The lunchroom we left was far down the hall now as I studied the woman before me. I couldn't read her.

"If I know you're safe, I can do everything in my power to make sure that I am too." My words rang true. I watched as Selena lowered her head, her hair covering her face before she gazed at me once more.

"So I'm safer away from you than I am with you?"

"I can't protect you when you're with me."

"You did last night."

"Only because I had backup. I cant focus when I'm with you. We both know that."

"I see," Selena brushed her fingers through her hair, turning to walk the other way.

"I'm only telling you this because I can't protect the both of us when we're together." My words bounced off the walls. I hesitated on following her, just as she rounded the corner. I began to pace after her before Nick emerged.

"She seems pissed," a smile caressing his face.

"I need you to be ready for tomorrow. Leave the pissy attitude behind." I stormed away from him in search of Joe. We had to prepare ourselves for tomorrow's departure. We'd be heading to our Florida location, the only information I knew. I ended up near my room when Joe appeared from his own.

"Hey," he waved, his shoulder pressing into the door's archway. "What did you do to the cute brunette?" He signaled towards Selena's door.

"Nothing." I breathed out, standing across from him. "We leave tomorrow right? We should gear up."

"Gear up for what?" Joe rose his eyebrow. "We're not going to look for a fight. Your orders are to release the computer virus, I'll deal with the other half of it."

"I can't go in there practically naked again. I need to carry my weapons. I need backup, I need a team."

"And you'll have us. Nick and I are at your disposal."

"I can't have Nick go with us," My eyes had met Joe's, he questioned me just before I gazed at the familiar door across the hall. "I need him to watch Selena."

"What?"

"If we don't make it back, I have to know that at least she's safe."

"Yeah, and sending the third top agent to babysit when your own life is at stake..."

"I have you don't I? Besides, I don't trust any other agent besides the ones I know."

"Onyx is all over this town. I'm not allowing Nick to stay here." Joe chewed on his inner jaw before finally standing upright. "But if we can get Selena and Nick to fly somewhere else, I'll agree to it."

"Fly where?"

"Leave it to me."

"I have to know where she's going."

"You just worry about getting that program activation out of the brunette by morning. I'll handle the rest." Joe awkwardly hugged me as I shoved him away. His laugh filling the air before he disappeared inside of his room. I had known Selena wasn't going to go willingly anywhere, but I had to believe that she trusted in me. That I'd keep her safe. I knocked on her door just before pushing it open. She had been laying face flat in her pillow.

"Can I come in?" I questioned, only stepping in far enough to close the door. I had been use to blocking off my feelings. I had learned not to show affection or care much about anything except for my training. I had no family. But somewhere between those training sessions with my fellow teammates and the awkward late night talks with a few of them, I had learned to open up more. The past three years I had found someone who I never knew could be so perfect in existence that I'd even be able to call them my friend. I couldn't even handle the slightest of cries coming from her.

"Its not as if I don't want you around," I stayed where I was. "But you know, if you don't want me to get shot again, I kind of need to be separated from you." My attempt at making her smile failed. "I'm sorry for having to do this."

A muffled sound arose.

"I can't hear you."

"I said..." Another muffle.

"What?" I stepped a bit closer, although the bed was on the other end of the space, I took a leap of faith and stood in the middle of the room.

"I said 'I hate you.'" Selena sat upright, her face puffy but no tears in sight. My stomach sort of twisted from the sight.

"And I still love you."

"What good does that do either of us." Selena studied me. She was building up her walls again, blocking me and anyone else out. I could see. There wasn't much I could do about it, or at least that's what I told myself.

"You're so stubborn." My voice echoed.

"Yeah well, so are you." She brushed her fingers across her face, wiping away tears I couldn't see before lowering herself into her palms. "I don't think I can do this again. I don't think I can wait here while you're out there risking your life for everyone. Not knowing if you'll come back dead or alive, or at all. I don't think my heart can take all of this uncertainty." She rose her head, resting her chin against her folded fingers. "I can't. I won't.!"

"I never asked you to. I don't want you to wait for me. I want you to be happy."

"Happy?" She scoffed to herself, falling onto her back as I finally made it over to her side. I hesitated on sitting before doing so. "I'll never be happy." Her words confused me.

"You know," I poked, "you could always try that dating thing. Actually get out and see someone's face other than mine."

"As if that'll ever happen," she shifted, "I'll always worry about you. If you're safe. If you're not. If you're happy, if you're sad…"

"I get it, you're obsessed with me." I slowly laid back onto the bed, the both of us facing each other.

"I don't know how long any of this could be and yet you're always leaving me behind."

"Because everyone knows you don't take the girl on the mission. Your mission is to save her," I couldn't make out Selena's blank expression. She had been giving me unreadable expressions, or the lack of them, for a while now.

"No one asked you to."

"But that's my job. You're the only family I have, the only friend besides Nick and Joe. And that's saying something. Because I'm almost positive that Nick hates me." I pulled my legs onto the bed, propping them up on the edge of the frame. "Matter of fact, I know he hates me."

"Have you noticed he snaps at you when his brother is near?"

"More or less so than any other time." I finally decided the atmosphere was light enough for me to bring up tomorrow's dilemma. "So, with your program. How can you manually activate it?"

"You're always thinking about your missions." Selena sat upright, crossing her legs Indian style as I glanced over. Before I could shift into any other position, my revolver had apparently been moving in my boot. It slipped out, lightly tapping the bed as Selena's eyes glanced over. I had caught her distraction and faced the object.

"I um," before I even had a chance to pull it into my hands, Selena kicked it with her foot onto the floor.

"In order to access the virus within the B.O.N.E.S database, you have to find its geolocation." As Selena began to speak within her coding context, I took that time to sit up, placing my hand over hers.

"I know that guns bother you."

"As I was saying," she ignored me before speaking once more, "If you're going back to Guadalajara you must know that although the virus is planted within one system, the framework isn't stable. I mean, I developed it to be that way. If we're taking down an entire operation why must I care if the framework is stable or not," she scoffed to herself, "There's a bug within the system that only runs under the right conditions…"

"Selena," I squeezed her hand as she pulled away.

"You have to listen to me," her eyes seem to have darkened as she took a deep breath, "The only way to access the bug, is to know a certain code which would inevitably bring up B.O.N.E.S. The virus thrives on new information, it sucks up any and everything in its path. Their computers won't even know what hit them. But it comes with a catch." She looked away from me, "it shuts down all power within one location."

"Just the power?"

"Power is all it needs. The virus spreads out within a two hundred mile radius. All computers, phones, cell towers, anything electronic. You name, it hacks into it. The gas at stations are even programmed by computers, when I say it'll put that entire city and its surrounding neighbors into darkness…" Selena took a deep breath, "we're putting more lives at risk than saving them."

"Oh."

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm helping the bad guys." Selena took her place on the floor, her eyes shifting around the room for something. I only watched her. "The part that you'll like," she pulled a sheet of paper up from the other side of the bed. "I wrote the codes down to access the program." She placed it next to me before walking over towards the bathroom. "Total darkness in a city of that size will be complete chaos."

"It's my last mission. What do I care?"

"You should. There are innocent people who will become target practice for this little operation your team is doing. If not because of them, than because of Onyx or some other criminal minded person."

"You're right." I found myself on the floor, thumbing for the gun that now sat against it. Selena had closed the bathroom door, leaving a small crack as she tugged and pulled on her red dress. "Now I feel like part of the problem."

"You should!" Selena scolded.

"Will we receive any information before the blackout there?"

"What do you mean?"

"B.O.N.E.S causes a two hundred mile blackout, but it still sends Onyx's information to our base right?" I awaited an answer as Selena cracked the door wider. Her face peering out as she sighed.

"The code I gave you isn't used to transfer information." Her eyes found mine, "its used to destroy it."


	5. It's Going Down

It was around nine at night when I actually had a chance to enter my room. I had been having a slight argument with Selena, which was rare. She refused to give me any other code for B.O.N.E.S except for the destruct one. I knew how it worked, but there was no way I was reporting to anyone about it. I had left her alone for over an hour. It was wrong of me to even involve her in this mess in the first place. I had read the small scrap of paper she gave me over and over again, but nothing changed. A knock came to my room door.

"Go Away!" I called out like a hurt child.

"Its Joe." His voice somehow was a relief to me. I stood, walking over to let him inside. I had informed him on Selena's program and of the code I had to get into. Joe followed along, his head nodding just before he glanced over the paper himself.

"So, we have to tell Joshua the plan I'm assuming." I sighed, bringing my head against Joe's shoulder as he shrugged.

"Our base is in Naples Florida. That place is stunning." Joe had moved on from my coding dilemma before facing me. I could hardly see his face as I nuzzled into his neck. "If my brother had to go anywhere, I rather have him near base. So if Selena needs protecting, she should go too."

"To Naples?" I questioned, pulling away as he gave a small nod. "Aren't we going to Naples in the afternoon?"

"Guess one more day with her won't be so bad," he nudged me as I sighed.

"We can't see eye to eye on anything. It was better when she thought I was saving the world, instead of defending it."

"Same difference." Joe bellowed.

"Right." I stood up as he did the same. We had spoken about a few things here and there before I inquired about my place. There was no going back to Selena's, and although this day was almost done, I had no word of my home. "What did Onyx do to my place?"

"Nothing as of yet." Joe and I walked into the hall. I hesitated to check on Selena but chose against it. We made it down the flight of steps and out into the courtyard. The night air chilled me as we made it around the grounds. "I have to tell Nick of our plan. He won't like it that much is sure."

"So, are you ready to go back to Guadalajara?"

"That depends," we stopped, "how's your shoulder?"

"I've been through a lot within the past twenty four hours, but I'll live. Its sore, but I can manage." I gazed out into the distance, wondering if Onyx was watching us right now. If they had placed a satellite into the sky that could listen to our conversations. I wondered if we were putting ourselves in danger just for standing on our own grounds.

"I have a favor to ask," Joe faced me.

"Go ahead."

"I want to sneak away tonight, gather a few things before tomorrow's trip."

"And you want me to go along?" I asked as he signaled to my nose. I swatted him away, crossing my arms before nodding. "What are we after?"

"Just a few mementos of my former life. Who knows what'll be left after we leave this place." As we began making it back towards the building, I could spot Nick pacing the outside doors. We made it over to him, although he spotted us a while back.

"What's wrong?" I questioned, as my hair, although still in a bun, began to let strands fall across my cheeks.

"I just needed some air." Nick glanced over at his brother before shaking his head, his eyes falling back onto me.

"Does your little girl-toy know you're out here taking late night walks with my brother?" Nick seemed annoyed with me. I watched as Joe faced his him, trying to calm him and whatever thoughts broke through his skull.

"Not now." Joe waved him off.

"Does she know?" Nick waved towards the building as I rose my eyebrows. I had no idea what he was talking about. What did he want Selena to know, because she was the only other person he could possibly be speaking of.

"Does she know what?" I questioned.

"Does she even know?" Nick signaled to me as I faced Joe.

"And what am I suppose to know?" I had crossed my arms, the night air thickening. No one said a word just as the younger of the two men sat on the building steps. He gazed down the steps that separated us and shook his head.

"Nick's been out of sorts lately." Joe began to walk up towards his brother.

"I can tell you love her." Nick calmly spoke up. I couldn't tell if he was speaking to me or Joe.

"Hey," his brother stopped just a step before him, "its late. We have better things to worry about. We've decided to take the road less traveled and make our way towards Naples in the morning."

"Naples?" Nick questioned, "why are we heading to the headquarters there? Shouldn't we just make it to Mexico and finish this before shit gets real. Before this entire town is nothing but sand against the ground?"

"We thought about that," his brother continued, "but we have to make sure Selena is safe as well."

"Selena?" Nick faced me, "Selena?"

"I can't allow her to be anywhere near Mexico. Naples is the closet and safest base. Besides I can have someone to watch her. Someone I trust." My voice carried over the distance before I decided to meet the brothers on the steps.

"So we're asking you to stay behind to watch her." Joe completed.

There was silence between us just shortly before Nick stood, his eyes finding mine. He turned to walk up the steps in silence as we followed behind him. The building, still quiet as usual, now consisted of Military guards, Army officials who spoke amongst one another and our own Agents. The place ran like clock work as everyone prepared for the night's journey as well as the morning's travels. Nick stopped in his tracks once he neared the great hall's entrance.

"I have been in this agency for a little over ten years," he spoke up before facing us. "I've been on countless missions where my life stood on the line, and I stood by your side." He signaled towards his brother. "I've fought on your side as well. I've dug through intel and stopped terrorist in their tracks. And you're asking me to watch some eighty pound girl all because she wants me to?" Nick had signaled over to me, his eyes burning through me.

"She doesn't trust anyone else." Joe answered for me as Nick smiled.

"This is just great. This is golden," he shook his head, "she wants to protect her little girl-toy and you want to protect her. At least as your brother I'll have your back."

"Hey," I cut it. "I've always had Joe's back."

"Yeah, you'll have his back when it becomes beneficial to you. All you care about is making it back to that girl up there."

"Okay Nick," I had enough with his little scorned child routine. "Joe IS my family. Which by default makes your little shitty ass a part of my family as well. I've done nothing to you. Why am I always the one on the pointy end of your stick?"

"Because you can't see how my brother would do anything for you. How he would put himself in front of a bullet to save your life. But all you can think about is her." He signaled upstairs, "you don't owe us anything, but if we're a team, your distraction is going to get us all killed."

"She isn't a distraction."

"The hell she isn't," Nick rose his hand, "if she wasn't a distraction on what's more important, than tell me why we aren't already solving our Onyx problem? Tell me why we haven't even moved from this location within the past ten hours? Our missions aren't going to solve themselves. She's the one keeping you here. She's the one keeping your mind here. She's the one allowing our agents to die out there because we aren't doing shit about it."

"That's enough." Joe finally broke his silence as I studied the younger man. He had propped himself up against the wall as I tried to process what he just said.

"You can't blame Selena for our agents dying."

"No." Nick agreed, "but I can blame YOU for allowing her to cloud your better judgment. Onyx didn't just track us by mistake. I'm sure her little program, which FYI didn't work, lead them to us. Lead them home. To our front doors. They didn't just come to Eureka by mistake."

"You've been blaming her since day one."

"Because every since you've met her, your mind has been elsewhere. Its been three years of saving your ass. And you think one less person on your team is a smart idea. I refuse to babysit her. I'll have my brother's back."

"Nick," Joe faced him as his brother walked away.

"Agent or not. My brother comes first." I stood as the man disappeared down the hall. It was silent for a few moments before Joe faced me.

"We should get some things from our homes." He began walking away just as I followed behind him. I always knew Joe was the one to have my back, it was fate that he became a good friend. But on this mission he'd be my partner and rather Nick liked it or not, his conscious would force him into protecting Selena. I just had to give him time. My mind was a whirlwind as I went over in my head if Nick was more right than wrong. For the past three years Selena had been the only person in my life to cause my barriers to fall. I had been a hard ass for the first seven years of my career, and now, going into my tenth and final one, I was softer. More caring and thoughtful than I ever once was before.

"This way." Joe had lead me into one of the back rooms of the building, gazing down at the grass below. It wasn't as if we were in lockdown mode, but the space was heavily patrolled. If guns were blazing tonight, we'd know for sure. "Lets go to my place first." Joe hopped out the window, catching his balance as I stood where I was. Selena was angry at me at the moment and she had every right to be. But my mind was clogging up from Nick's judgmental words. I use to leap when someone said do it, for my benefit or not. Now, I questioned every little thing I did.

"Demi!" Joe called up to me. I sighed, placing one leg after the other out of the window before we disappeared into the night. It took us no time to come across the gate that was heavily guarded. Now, Joshua wouldn't mind us escaping into the night, but he knew better than to let us leave alone.

"Now what?" I questioned as Joe stood upright, signaling for me to do the same. He instructed me to act casual as we came across the eight guards that lined the frame. Two, standing at the gate.

"Agent 727 and 728, where are you going?" One of them asked. I had never seen this guy before, he held onto the automatic tightly as if he was expecting something to happen. But I didn't blame him. It had been too quiet these past few hours, and if anyone knew something, we didn't.

"727 and I decided to patrol the outer gates. We were getting a bit stir crazy back there." Joe had stood up straight, his stature professional. I hadn't went into agent mode since I decided, 'oh sure, lets do one more mission.'

"We'll be back shortly." I added just as the guard smirked. He gave us a nod before opening the gate. As we strolled onto the main road, Joe was on alert. His eyes hadn't stopped shifting until we made it around one of the corners. The lights had been beaming bright onto the street.

"So how are we getting to your place?" I questioned as Joe lead me down the street. There were still people outside, eating dinner or shopping. Stores would be closing within a hour or less. I hadn't had time to shop or just walk like this in a long time. I had numbed myself to any actual desires for years now, I still found it difficult to break that old mold.

"Any agent left in this city would be in hiding," Joe began. "So I can honestly say its safe to hop on a bus."

"With what money?" He faced me, pulling a few bucks from his pocket.

"I wasn't the one that left anything at that restaurant. Don't forget that." He tapped my nose. I stood next to Joe under one of the sheltered stops. We climbed on the bus and were on our way in no time. It was true that I felt safe in his presence. He suggested us catching the bus and I didn't bat an eye, although when Selena suggested the same thing I waved it off. We sat across from one another, I had my eyes on all the angels he couldn't see, and vise versa.

We arrived just two blocks from Joe's home on the upper side of town. I climbed off from the front, he did so from the back. I could still feel the revolver that I shoved into my boot hours prior. Joe's block seemed peaceful, quiet. It was kind of weird not hearing his neighbors throwing a party on a Saturday night.

"I'll go ahead. You hang back for ten minutes. If I'm not back here in that amount of time, you know what to do."

"I'm not leaving you," I faced him, "so forget it."

"You're so stubborn," he smiled just before leaving my side and making it the last few blocks alone. I had made it a point to keep my ears open, eyes focused and mind clear. I made it through one of the alleys, watching as my shadow danced on a few garages. The area was way too silent for my comfort. Out of sheer reflexes I rose my boot to grab my gun, gripping it firmly before making my way towards the other end. There were three perfectly parked black vans sitting on one corner up the road. I pressed my back against the last garage before ducking and peering back at them. I couldn't see a thing, and if my heart wasn't pounding so much I would of noticed the rustling happening behind me. I quickly jumped as the noise behind me ended in a cackle. Someone was drunk, laughing as they leaned against another person for support. I inched around the garage and climbed the small fence provided into a yard.

"Joe," I whispered to no one. He was still a block ahead of me. Hopefully in his home with no trouble at all. But I had a sickening feeling I would need to make it to his block and fast. I crept between the two homes provided, studying the vans across the street. I still couldn't peer inside. I knew the only way to bypass them was to either run, or create a diversion. I wasn't up for either. The drunk couple made their way down the street, laughing and cackling one after the other. It was annoying. Something flashed onto the couple as they stood erect, startled by the light before a voice called out to them. I watched from a distance as whoever had the light, lowered it as the two began shouting. They were making their way past the vans, and to me, it was now or never. I hopped the four foot fence, crawling towards a nearby car, before running across the street. I dropped to the ground, rolling under the closest car before lying flat.

I could make out a pair of boots, pacing between the first and second van. I knew that Joe was in trouble. There was no way I could get around making a scene, so, I made a run for the next house heading in Joe's direction. By some miracle, the man near the van hadn't spotted me. After my little burst of energy, I neared the dark two-story home. My heart was in my throat. I entered Joe's bushes, making sure I watched my sides before his back door opened. He ducked out, his knees pressed into his chest as he sort of crabbed walked off his porch. His eyes were glaring my way, but if he'd seen me, he hadn't let it be known. I watched as he slid past his own gate and I slowly followed. That's when footsteps echoed through the home. I made my sprint for Joe's direction a bit hastier. He gazed back at me, a sign of relief on his face as I followed him down a few blocks.

"What were you doing following me?" He asked as I shrugged.

"I thought you were in trouble. I saw some vans near your block."

"There were people inside, but I couldn't see straight. One of them thought I was some guy called 'Jack.'"

"How did you get out?"

"I grunted, grabbed what I needed and left."

"What did you need?" As we made it four blocks away, we stood, not letting our guard down.

"This," he rose a small hard drive into his hands before stashing it back in his deep pants pocket. "I need to know how to access my funds if I'm on the run."

"You did all of that for your account information?"

"Call me stupid, but this life isn't guaranteed." As I followed behind Joe for a few more blocks, we came up to another bus stop. "Anything you want to grab from your place?"

"I'm sure they ransacked it by now. They're practically staking us out. I'm not risking it." I stood in place as Joe placed his hand on my shoulder.

"After tonight, there's no going back. Our old lives are over."

"I know."

"There's absolutely nothing you want from this life?"

"I have what I want," I sighed, "I just don't know how to let her in. Because if I do, what if one of us gets taken away. What if we can't handle what comes with this kind of life? I'll always be a target. Missed but never gone." I watched as the bus approached.

"Anything you want from your place?" He questioned one last time as I faced him.

"They'll be nothing left."

"Anything at all," Joe tried to comfort me as I slid my revolver back into my boot.

"There is one thing."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The bus system didn't carry into my side of town, so, after we rode it as far as we could south, we began walking. Joe had made it perfectly clear that we were going into dangerous territory. The reason being, I lived in a neighborhood surrounded by agents from not only Ludlow, but from several other entities as well. Ludlow was never used to describe my agency, we were just The Agency. But we had a name, but no one, not even our own operatives called us that. In the back of my mind I could make out Selena yelling at me and calling me stupid for doing this. I could imagine her crying at me getting shot once more.

"We go in from the front." I told Joe as his eyes sternly found mine.

"What do you mean the front?"

"My entire block is covered in agents. No one would ever occupy the front, without upsetting the entire balance of things." We had five more blocks to go.

"How the hell does that even work?"

"They're our allies. But I don't want to put any more blood on our hands. We have enough to worry about." As we swerved this way and that, carrying our legs up the small mountain side, Joe tapped his gun. I pulled mine out as well, watching as we made it down the home stretch.

"So your neighbors aren't going to be pissed we have our guns drawn?"

"They'd be more pissed if we were creeping around their homes without one." I tried to lighten the mood. My mind flashing back to the reason I was risking this attempt. "Allies could work in this situation," Joe explained.

"We're doing this alone." I told him as my home came into view. I never spent much time here. It was more of a prison to me than anything else. As I stood at my front door, the handprint screen appeared. I could already tell someone had placed their huge meaty paws onto the casing. It had to be sometime near midnight as I placed my hand on the screen. It clicked, before the door unlocked.

"I'm first," Joe pushed past as he opened the door.

"The guitar is in my bedroom, straight back on the left." I walked in with him. Closing the door, just as the lights flicked on one by one. I stood my ground as guns from almost every angle rose. We had no plan 'B,' there was barely a plan 'A'.

"Damn it, Lovato," One woman breathed out, her gun lowering. I hadn't noticed the familiar faces surrounding us until my name was spoken. Joe brought his arm down as I looked between each person in the room.

"Why the hell are all of you in my house?" I questioned as the woman laughed. She was my next door neighbor of four years. Her husband had been in the agency just as long as I'd been.

"We received word that you guys were under attack. You'd think you'd enjoy a little company and rescue." The woman instructed everyone to lower their guns. My entire block, twelve people at that, stood ready to fight.

"I didn't need to be rescued." I complained, tucking my gun back into its safe space.

"We all heard about the shootout. There was nothing we could do. We hadn't heard word of you, but as of seven this morning, we've been getting your guys out of the city. We don't travel light as you can tell." The woman signaled to the other agents. "If we were Onyx, you'd be blown to bits by now."

"I could of lived with that," I lied, as everyone began to relax. "By helping us, you're putting yourselves at danger."

"Ha," The woman chuckled. "Every since I became a wife my husband thinks agent life is dangerous. I've been undercover more times than he knows." She smirked. "So who's this?"

"Oh, this is agent 728." I ever gave friend's name's away without their permission.

"Handsome." The woman smiled.

"I just came for my acoustic guitar."

"Really?" The woman asked as I slinked past them all. Joe stayed in place near the front, watching the group of people as I entered my room. I never liked the place, it felt cramp although it was spacious. My bed set elevated off on the right, my guitar propped next to it. I placed it into its case, lifting the strap over my shoulder just before a loud piercing noise broke through the air. I could feel small pieces of something running across my skin. It was glass, it fell at my feet as I ducked. Everyone in the house broke their positions as three of them, including Joe, ran into the room.

"Sharp shooters at 'five o'clock'" One of them shouted as Joe pulled me into him.

"This way." He lead me into the hall as I pulled my revolver into my hands. I could still feel the shards in my hair. "Stay low, shoot first ask questions later." He instructed as we crawled into the kitchen. The inside was already filled with people taking stance at every entrance.

"There's an automatic in that bag," one of the men looked back at me. It was Jeff from down the road. "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight." He joked, as I glanced over my shoulder to grab the bag laying on the floor. These people were seriously staked out at my house overnight and brought everything they thought was necessary. I would have to either scold or thank them later for this. One shot after the other began flying through separate windows. I placed my back against the kitchen sink where Jeff had shot out of moment prior. Joe took my side as my guitar case forced me to hunch a bit forward.

I quickly took to my feet, trying to glance out of the window at the gun slinger, but nothing was to be seen. I ducked back onto the floor.

"Lights!" Someone yelled as the place grew dark. But that didn't stop the shots that fired through the window. The house lit up in blues as I stood once more. A piercing scream broke through the night air as I narrowed my eyes and pulled back on the trigger, but before I could even let one bullet dart from the clip I dropped the gun. Joe took my place, grabbing his own gun and began firing into the night. There was greenery behind my home, so everyone's focus was the bushes. I sat against the group constantly hearing Selena's voice ask me how many people have I killed. I never wanted that number to rise. Jeff had fell onto the floor into searing pain. I could hardly see the blood shooting out of his arm before I pressed my fingers against his skin, searching for something to wrap his arm in.

"Demi," Joe slid my revolver I had dropped earlier over towards me. "Whoever hasn't been shot out there is moving up. Precision is key." He told me as I tried to hold myself up. I didn't reach for the gun. I studied Jeff just before his eyes flickered towards his bag. I was choking up. Everyone was right about one thing, my mind caused distractions. I grabbed the brown bag, trying to look into it before Jeff forced himself upright. He pulled something from the bag.

"Wrap it quick." He rushed me as I did as I was told, watching him grab his gun once more as he hissed towards the hall. I grabbed my revolver, the thick feeling of blood sticking to the object like glue. My back felt protected somehow, but than again I was crating a guitar around in a hard-shell. I ran towards the hallway as Joe stayed put. Sounds of boots knocking against both my back and front doors rang through the place. I watched as the wood flew off the hinges and I rose my gun, and without hesitation I fired. I shifted through the other agents in the home, one after the other we took the Onyx team down. Whatever they had wanted, they weren't getting tonight. My shoulder felt heavy, but I breathed through it.

"Lovato!" Mary, the woman from earlier called over to me. I faced her as she signaled with her hands the vans that now pulled up the street. I ducked as best as I could as more agents from Onyx filed out onto the road. I no longer thought about anything except getting out of there. My heart was racing, my skin sweaty.

"Lights!" Mary screamed, as the house lit up from its darkness. Some of those who were once inside with us, flew out of the house firing straight into the night. I leveled myself against the front archway, and fired. One round after the next until the revolver was empty. It was as if war was brought right into our own backyards. I turned and ran back towards my room, glass tossed from one end to the next. I finally tossed my guitar case onto my bed, pulling a long black box from under the frame. There was no holding back. Three people lay dead or almost lifeless on my room floor. These people risked their lives to save agents other than their own. I pulled the machine pistol from its box, loading it swiftly before tugging my guitar in the other hand. It was a stupid move but I didn't come all this way to fail.

I rejoined the warzone out front before spotting Joe wresting with one of the men on the ground. I stood where I was, completely exposed to the elements and bullets, before I began to fire at the van's wheels. One tire popped, before the next. I ran over towards Mary as she screeched in sheer pain from one of the men standing on her arms. I swung my guitar at him, causing him to flinch just before my gun met his chest. It was a bloody scene, things went on like this for a few more minutes before cars and people on foot began to gather around the small block. Guns rose before there sat just one lonely Onyx man on the group. His eyes swollen, skin ripped as if a dog had attacked him.

"Its one in the fucking morning!" A man yelled down the street. Everyone still clutched their own personal guns as Joe joined my side.

"Sorry!" I screamed, "uh, I tried to keep things civil but," I shrugged. This was no time to be funny. Joe and I walked over to a few of my neighbors and checked on those laying in their own pool of blood. In all my years I had never seen so much death surrounding me. We gathered a few more items from my house, shoving what could fit into my guitar case before we thanks Mary and surrounding neighbors. Joe held my guitar over his shoulder as I studied my blood stained hands. There were more people to add to a list I had never kept tally of.

"Well, tonight was something else." He laughed. "We've gotten the gold." He shook my guitar.

"I need to take a long hot shower." I pressed my head onto his shoulder. We had walked from one end of town to the next. We had too much blood on us to take public transportation, that and the fact that someone would call the cops. Thankfully, my neighborhood was government owned, more like a army base than anything else. No cops were called, but an investigation would ensue. What good would that do anyone?

We arrived back the agency building a little after four in the morning. Joe and I walked through the gates as soldiers focused on us. As we marched up the steps, I grabbed my guitar and made it into my own room. We didn't speak on the matter to anyone, at least not at that time. I dropped the guitar on the floor, stepped into the bathroom and began pulling one dirty or bloodied piece of clothing off after the other. Through the mirror I could see my body was covered in small scratches and dirt. But the blood on my hands would be the image I couldn't get rid of. I climbed into the shower, turned the hot water on, and took a deep breath. We would be leaving in a few hours and I had to make sure Nick was on board.


End file.
